A new guiding statement has been released by the State Government to accelerate the deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across Western Australia.
- Guiding Statement issued to facilitate implementation of electric vehicle infrastructure
- Early integration of EV charging infrastructure needs avoids costly retrofits
- Policy supports state's electric vehicle strategy for sustainable energy transition
The State Government has introduced a new policy statement to accelerate the timely and coordinated implementation of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across Western Australia.
With increasing local and global interest in electric vehicles, the policy statement: Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure aims to provide guidance to project proponents and planning authorities, advocate early consideration of EV requirements in new development projects and streamline the approval process for EV charging infrastructure.
This new policy is in line with the objectives of the Western Australian Climate Change Policy and the State Electric Vehicle Strategy, which aim to increase the uptake of EVs in WA and promote cleaner and more sustainable transport solutions for the future.
The policy emphasises early consideration of EV charging infrastructure needs at the planning stage, by both local governments and project proponents, to ensure such facilities are included in the design and construction phase of new developments, reducing the need for costly retrofits.
The policy will assist developers and planning authorities by promoting:
- Consistency in planning methodologies across local authorities, including consideration of public infrastructure and suitable locations for EV charging;
- A streamlined permitting process, accompanied by guidance on when development approvals may be unnecessary; and
- Recommendations on charging levels (e.g. general power, AC or DC) for different land uses, including residential developments, motorway service stations, beaches, hospitals and other preferred locations.
This policy formulation has been informed by public consultation and engagement with key industry and government stakeholders, reflecting widespread support for the guidelines outlined in the policy statement.